Alexander Hernandez shocks the MMA world with first round KO at UFC 222

Alexander Hernandez came in on short notice and wasted little time in making his mark. His UFC debut got off to a massive start with a 42-second finish over Beneil Dariush at UFC 222.

Short notice? No problem

Alexander Hernandez had every excuse to lose his first UFC fight at UFC 222. Coming in short notice with just three weeks to prepare, none of those factors limited his performance. Beneil Dariush was coming off a win heading into this bout and looking to keep the streak active. But the tenacity of Hernandez in that opening minute changed up the entire game plan.

Some pundits were polarized over Hernandez at the start of the fight. Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier mused over his immediate front kick after touching gloves. What was seen as a sly move was immediately met with aggression by Dariush as he tried to trade strikes.

The baiting of aggression was a smart tactical ploy from Hernandez as he kept playing in-and-out of range. As Dariush tries to line up his jab and get some sort of rhythm, Hernandez counters with a swift right hand that found his target.

Armed and dangerous

The rest of the fight was a formality. Alexander Hernandez came out with the upset victory, on short notice no less, and looked extremely dominant in doing so. This loss for Dariush comes as a disappointment as he was mounting a comeback and regain his ranked position.

In his place, Alex Hernandez now looms as a promising contender that must be taken serious, or else you might just suffer the consequences. Hernandez mentioned before the fight that training with high-level partners like T.J. Dillashaw and Cub Swanson has improved his game in a multitude of ways. As his UFC career continues, keeping an eye out on the progress of this 25-year-old phenom will be imperative in a constantly shifting division.